The California Medical Association (CMA) has joined the American Medical Association in urging Congress to enact the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, a bipartisan bill that would ensure Medicare patients can continue to access telehealth services without disruption.

First introduced during the COVID-19 public health emergency, federal telehealth flexibilities allowed patients to receive virtual care at home, regardless of geographic location Those flexibilities have been temporarily extended several times, but are set to expire on Sept. 30 unless Congress acts.

H.R. 4206 — introduced by Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), David Schweikert (R-AZ), and Troy Balderson (R-OH) — would make these changes permanent by repealing statutory restrictions that currently prevent Medicare patients from accessing care via telehealth unless they:

• Live in a rural area
• Travel to an “originating site” such as a physician’s office or hospital to receive virtual care; and
• See a physician in person within six months of an initial telemental health visit

 “California physicians have seen firsthand how telehealth reduces barriers to care—especially for patients in rural and underserved communities,” said CMA President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D. “Making these flexibilities permanent will allow physicians to better serve their patients and build on the innovations in care delivery that have taken root since the pandemic.”

Bipartisan support for extending the pandemic-era telehealth waivers is strong in Congress. CMA will continue working alongside AMA and Congressional champions to ensure patients retain access to vital telehealth services.